


i'm easy to read and it's all because of you

by ellatrobbie



Category: Scorpion (TV 2014)
Genre: Episode: s01e16 The Love Boat, F/M, post-ep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-15 23:22:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3465818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellatrobbie/pseuds/ellatrobbie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Despite all his snide remarks and defense mechanisms, he’s pretty sure he’s always been an open book to her." // A continuation of Love Boat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm easy to read and it's all because of you

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Scorpion fic and I've overcompensated my lack of confidence and editing with an offensive amount of italics. Hope you enjoy it.

The drive home is quiet. Okay, that’s a lie. Ralph, for all his usual quietness does not stop talking about how cool the fireworks were and how Sloan liked them and how she asked if they could eat lunch together on Monday and how the other kids thought the fireworks were cool too. He nods in acknowledgement, keeping his eyes on the road as he drives them back to the garage. Happy is quiet. And that’s why he’s worried.

He’s pretty sure he she was okay with what happened. With what nearly happened. _She_ took his hand. And he’s sure her eyes closed as he had leaned in. So it’s not that he’s worried she didn’t want it. But he knows her, better than she thinks he does and he knows that the longer she thinks about this, the greater the chance she will turn away and ice him out. And that’s why he’s very quietly, and very subtly, _freaking the hell out_.

They finally get back to the garage to find Sylvester out somewhere (he makes a note to follow this up in the morning because Sylvester doesn’t just _go out_ ), Walter in the back working on his rocket and Paige, furious, because she just got off the phone with the principal. For what it’s worth, he’s met the lady twice today and he’s pretty sure Paige could take her.

“You just brought homemade fireworks to Ralph’s school? Are you CRAZY?! I don’t know how two geniuses can come up with something so – so-”

“Are you calling my fireworks homemade?” Happy asks flatly from behind him. He doesn’t turn around so he can’t see her but he does see the smile fade slowly from Ralph’s face. The kid is smart. Chicks might dig outlaws but moms definitely don’t.

“Paige -” he starts, ready to calm everything down.

“What if Ralph had gotten hurt? Or any other ki-”

“You really think I would do _anything_ that would put Ralph in danger?” He had been so focused on Ralph and Happy and Paige that he hadn’t had a chance to consider his own emotions. His voice is angry and final, so much so that even Paige who had been gesticulating wildly drops her hands. He knows what this is. Classic displacement. He’s frustrated about Happy, that he wants her to feel safe with him and even he, with all his insight, doesn’t know how to do that when she keeps all her cards to herself. And tonight, for a moment, everything felt right and full of hope. And now-

Now, he swallows the rest of his frustration and looks at Paige again, “It was safe and fun, you should have a little faith. We were just helping him express his feelings. ” He moves towards his desk, ruffling Ralph’s hair gently has he passes him. As he sits down he sees Happy step towards Paige, probably to finish the discussion he had started, and before he puts his headphones he hears Ralph trying to describe how cool it all had been. He needs noise though, loud noise that can take him away from his own feelings for a bit.

* * *

An hour later he’s reading, only one book though because he can still feel Happy’s fingers interlaced with his and he kind of doesn’t want to lose that feeling because he might be a lovesick fool, but at least he’s aware of it. Her hand fit beautifully in his, a fact he is locking away in his brain forever. So he’s willing to take the tedium of one narrative for tonight.

“Can we talk?” a voice, her voice, comes from above him and he looks up to see her standing at his desk. He’s about start word-vomiting excuses and reasoning and his very special level of charm but he sees her standing with her hands tucked into her back pockets, her face trying hard to look calm when it’s anything but.

“Always,” he nods. He stands up and goes around the desk so he’s next to her and leans against it. This puts them at a roughly similar height, the same level.

“I’m not great with expressing myself with words so let me get through this before you say anything. And I swear if you make one wiseass comment about this, I will kick  _your ass_ so hard-”

He bites back saying something about the fact that she's been thinking about his ass. His silence apparently surprises both of them because she stops, expecting him to say something. 

She stares at him, probably trying to read him. Which is crazy, because despite all his snide remarks and defense mechanisms, he’s pretty sure he’s always been an open book to her. Eventually she takes a breath, blinks slowly before looking at him again. “It took me a long time to let myself think of this team as family and I don’t – I _can’t_ let anything happen to that. To us.”

“Look, what you said earlier,” he starts, knowing that he should just shut up but he can’t not say this right now. “You’re my best friend too. And I don’t want you to think that isn’t important to me -”

“Let me finish,” she mutters, her voice low because she probably doesn’t want Walter knowing anything about this conversation. “If we give this a shot, we do it slowly. And quietly. This isn’t some team mission and I’m not playing around.”

He finds himself nodding before he's fully realised the meaning in her words. As it dawns on him, he grins. “Really?”

“You okay with going slow?”She asks. She’s biting her lip, probably facing a rush of uncertainty before he answers. And he’s taking his time because he wants to get these words right.

“Hey,” he says, tipping his head to her. He desperately wants to touch her, just put his hand on hers or even cup her cheeks but he’s worried she’d flinch. “I’m okay with whatever you’re comfortable with. Before everything I’m your friend and I recognise how big this is. Given your childhood you want to protect the emotional connections you’ve made and -”

“Doc. _Shut up_ ,” she snaps, pressing hand to his chest. There a smile on her lips though and before he can figure out what it means she steps closer and presses her lips to his. It’s short, but certain, and he’s devastatingly unprepared. But it’s also amazing in ways that defy description. By the time he opens his eyes again, jaw slack, she’s stepped away with a knowing smile on her face.

“Night, Toby.”

He doesn’t say anything because what can he say when his mind has just been blown by a relatively innocent kiss. Maybe he has no idea what he’s getting into with Happy Quinn, but he’s not planning on jumping this ship anytime soon.


End file.
